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first proposed; but as that amount was insufficient to provide the requisite buildings, they have started on another tour, and are now, we believe, crossing the Atlantic. We would bespeak for them a cordial reception in Great Britain. Let it be remembered that the music-a goodly selection from which is inserted in the volume published by Messrs. Hodder and Stoughton-was "never 'composed' after the manner of ordinary music, but sprang into life readymade, from the white heat of religious fervour during some protracted meeting in church or camp." It is our earnest desire that the noble mission in which these coloured musical geniuses are expending their talents may be abundantly prospered, since such prosperity is closely linked to the cause of negro education.

Maggie on entering Heaven.

YOME tune your harps ye angel throng,

Co

That fly around the throne,

Where sits the Lamb who once was slain,
The great and mighty One.

And lend your aid ye seraphs bright,

With voices loud and sweet,

Be ready to assist my song,

The chorus to repeat.

Chorus. Jesus is worthy, he alone,
To occupy his Father's throne.

On earth I was a little one,

With form decrepid, weak;

No strength was in my slender limbs,

No colour in my cheek.

I could not work, I did not beg,

To find my daily bread;

And yet with every dainty thing,

My board was always spread.

Jesus is worthy, he alone,

To occupy his Father's throne.

'Twas he who gave me loving friends,

Who watched me night and day,

Who led me to the throne of grace,

And taught me how to pray.

And though I could not romp and play,

In childhood's merry glee,

My Saviour's love made up the loss,

So good and kind is he.

Jesus is worthy, he alone,
To occupy his Father's throne

I know you cannot learn my song,
For you were never sick;
You never knew an aching head,-
Of troubles cannot speak.
Sin never broke your loving heart,
Brought sorrow from your eyes;
But you may join my chorus yet-
Then shout it through the skies.

Jesus is worthy, he alone,
To occupy his Father's throne.

The Prey taken from the Mighty.

"Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?"-Isaiah xx. 24.

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THE late John Elias, Welsh minister, preaching on the above text, in one of the Associations in Wales, asked at the close of his sermon, 66 6 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty?' Satan what dost thou say?"" No, never. I will increase the darkness of their mind, the hardness of their heart, the desire of their lusts, the strength of their fetters, and I will fortify my strongholds. The lawful captives shall never be delivered, nor shall the prey be taken from me. I despise and look with contempt on the feeble

efforts of these ministers."

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Gabriel, Gabriel, messenger of the Most High, what do you think?" said the preacher in a different tone, looking reverently up to heaven. "Shall the prey be taken from the mighty?" “Ah! I am afraid they shall not be taken. I have now been two days hovering over this vast assembly, which listens to the words of eternal life, expecting to see the chains broken asunder, and the captives liberated; but now the sermons are nearly over, and the multitudes on the point of separating, yet there is no sign that any have been saved; and I shall not have the pleasure of carrying to the heaven of heavens the news that one sinner has repented of his sins."

Then the servant of God turned to his fellow-preachers, who were around him on the stage. "Ye ministers of the living God! what do you think? Shall the prey be taken from the mighty?" "Alas! who hath believed our report? To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? We have laboured in vain, and we have spent our strength for nought and in vain. It seems as if the Lord hides his face from us. He has not made bare his arm to save. Ah! we fear that there is but little hope that any of these captives shall be set free, or that the prey shall be taken from the mighty."

6

"ZION! what dost thou say? Shall the prey be taken from the mighty?' But Zion replies, The Lord hath forsaken me and the Lord hath forgotten me, I have lost my children and am desolate and alone; and my enemies say concerning me, this is Zion which no one seeks. Alas! I fear none shall be saved.”” "Ye that call on the name of the Lord, what do you think? Shall the prey be taken from the mighty? Lord God, thou knowest. High is thy hand, glorious in power is thy right hand. O send forth thy power, and by thy marvellous strength, conquer. Let the groaning of the prisoners come before thee, and according to the excellency of thy power save the children of death.' Though I am nearly weary crying, yet I have a faint hope that the year of jubilee is nigh."

Then the preacher looked up-as if he was going to speak with the Lord Omnipotent, humbly asking him, "What is thy thought, Great Jehovah concerning these prisoners?" Thus saith the Lord, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered; for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children." Blessed be God, there is no doubt nor anxiety about the deliverance of these captives. It is absolutely declared, they shall be liberated; they shall be saved; they shall be made free indeed. "Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing to Zion, and everlasting joy shall be upon their head."

Reviews.

The Contents and Teachings of the Catacombs of Rome. By BENJAMIN SCOTT. Longmans, Green and Co. EXACTLY the book for you if you wish to deliver a lecture upon the catacombs; the catalogue at the end will shew you where to borrow sets of excellent diagrams. The good Chamberlain of the City of London is a practical friend to lecturers, and so to the public. Homes of Old English Writers. By the Rev. S. W. CHRISTOPHERS. Haughton and Co. We have met with Mr. Christophers before as a pleasing but far too florid

writer. He is one of those who would

go into raptures over a broomstick, and praise the picturesque beauty of a dustheap. He here discourses right lovingly of spots consecrated by Latimer, Donne, Thomas Fuller, Flavel, and the like. The writer and the subject are in full accord, and if the reader be not inter

ested it will be his own fault. Much of the information will be new to the majority of readers, and though it is conveyed in highly decorated and even luscious language, there are some who will like it all the better.

Earnest Christianity; or, the Mission of the Church of Christ. By Mrs. E. R. PITMAN. Kent and Co., Paternoster Row.

A ZEALOUS little book, by one of our useful friends, the Primitive Methodists. There is no small share of Methodist fire in the good lady's writings, and we hope that many readers will have their hearts set on a blaze by it. Earnest Christianity is the want of the times. Origin and History of the New Testament. By JAMES MARTIN, B.A. Second edition. Hodder & Stoughton. WE welcomed the first edition of this instructive work by our learned brother James Martin, now of Melbourne, and we are glad to see that the publishers have felt themselves able to issue the work at one half of the former price. Half-a-crown is surely very little for so scholarly and necessary a work. All students of the Word should read this volume carefully.

Gleanings for the Drawing-room, in prose and verse; with Illustrations after Sir Edwin Landseer, Birket Foster, etc. Compiled by T. B. S. Partridge and Co.

A SUMPTUOUS volume. Noble change for half-a-guinea. The gospel may be made to catch many a careless eye if this attractive collection of engravings and stories be placed upon the drawingleave no room for improvement. We room table. The binding and printing are glad that Mr. Harrison Weir has, pigeon match and its poor suffering with his graphic pencil, depicted a victims. We do not believe that cockfighting and dog-fighting are one atom worse than pigeon-torturing. It is a disgraceful business, and would be put down by common law if it were not for the patronage of noble lords. While Hurlingham is tolerated, and our legislators adjourn the Parliament for the Derby, we cannot wonder at the vices of the poorer classes.

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The Covenant of Love; a Manual of Devotion for the Sick and Suffering. ChrisBy A. M. JAMES, author of tian Counsels." Hatchards, Piccadilly. THOSE who approve of such manuals will be highly pleased with this deeply spiritual work. The devotional readings are both short, sweet, and suitable ; and the sick and afflicted who can conscientiously use forms of prayer will find them here ready to their hand.

Shadows of City Life. By GEORGE

WILSON M'CREE. Elliot Stock. GooD advice to young men, costing sixpence, and worth a thousand times as much. Our friend Mr. M'Cree speaks from a wide observation, and writes like a man who has come into actual contact with the temptations of London life. We should not give this plainspoken book to every boy one meets with, but for young men inclined to be fast, or lads placed in positions where gay fellows will surround them, it is one of the best productions of the press. God speed it and its author.

Detached Links:

Writings and Joseph Parker. JOSEPH LUCAS.

Extracts from the Discourses of Dr. Compiled by Rev. Dickinson.

EITHER these extracts are too deep or too shallow for us, but certainly we cannot make much out of them. We hope Dr. Parker's preaching is better than the average of these passages, or else it is more pretentious than profound; more verbose than edifying. We cannot imagine why some of these links were ever detached; they may have meant something in their connection, but they mean just nothing as they are placed by themselves. It is injustice to a man to give a mere platitude as an extract from his discourses. Life-thoughts, gems, selections, and all that genus, should be a man's freshest utterances, with something of terseness, pith, and force in them; they should contain either parables, apothegms, antitheses, or memorable speech of some kind. Mere chips and fragments are only fit for the fire. There are good passages in this very tastefully bound volume, but there are so very many poor ones that we cannot but think that the Doctor is very unfortunate in having his chains of thought pulled to pieces with so little judgment. A good joint may be spoiled by the carver- -"mangling done here" may be a fit motto for many a book of quotations-at the same time the very best carver cannot cut good slices from questionable meat. The compiler tells us that "it is impossible to publish a thunderstorm;" why, then, did he attempt to hew pieces out of the tempest? Has he a receipt for making bottled lightning? Has he found out how to chop off a yard of lightning? If a man's style is so very magnificent that he cannot be quoted, it is unfair to attempt the task.

Lucy's Life Story; or, Sunshine Without and Within. A true Story. By

J. K. Shaw and Co. A VERY good gospel story, suitable for distribution among the poor. Those who once begin it will be sure to read it through. As a real narrative it commends itself to those who are doubtful as to the propriety of using fiction in connection with religion.

Christian Missions in the East and West, in connection with the Baptist Missionary Society. Yates and Alexander.

A COMPENDIOUS view of the results of earnest missionary labours in connection with the Baptist Missionary Society. While it will have a double interest for Baptists, this record will be valued by Christians of all denominations. Dr. Underhill has done well to draw up so capital a digest of the history of the Mission, and every Baptist will be doing no more than his duty if he places a copy where his children and servants may read it. All other religionists are honestly proud of their antecedents, and delight in the achievements of their forefathers, but Baptists have been by some means deprived of their esprit du corps, and are not half so true to their colours and attached to their traditions as they ought to be. Our pedigree is noble, let us rehearse it in the ears of our sons, that they may emulate the brave deeds of our sires. The Baptist Mission in its earlier stages greatly glorified God, and we hope the days may come when his name will yet be magnified by the same instrumentality.

The Apostle Peter; his Life and Letters. By S. G. GREEN, D.D. Sunday School Union.

THIS work was greatly needed. Dr. Green deserves the best thanks of all expositors for performing his task so carefully and well. We could criticise here and there, but we have not the heart to find fault where there is so much that is excellent. Conybeare and Howson have said all about Paul that can be said; we do not think that Dr. Green has done quite as much for Peter, but he has gone a considerable way towards it.

Come and Welcome to Jesus Christ.

By JOHN BUNYAN. Blackie and Sons. THIS is one of a series of little books by John Bunyan. It is beyond all criticism and needs no praise. We pray that while troubled minds are reading it they may find rest. Eighteen pence is the cost of this and other

volumes uniform in size.

Establishments, their State and our Duty, | with special reference to the Church of England: a Speech delivered in the Free Presbytery of Glasgow. By Rev. J. ADAM, D.D. Glasgow: David Bryce and Co.

WE note this pamphlet because it is one of the signs of the times. Our Free Church brethren are finding their way by various routes to the conclusion which we have long ago reached by a shorter cut. We shall have their aid in our contest against the State's patronage of a religious party so nondescript as that which is now conglomerated into the Church of England; and if they give us this practical help we can afford to waive the question as to whether a hypothetically orthodox church ought not under certain circumstances to become the National Church. Dr. Adam finishes his speech thus :-"Are you not rather bound to say to our rulers, if you will not reform these churches to the core-if you will not purge out of them the whole of that corrupt leaven which has entered into their constitution, and is spreading through their teaching, their worship, their discipline-then leave the cause of God to take care of itself; do not make us a present at all if it is only to be another Trojan horse, full of disguised but deadly enemies; touch not the ark of God rather than attempt to set up it and Dagon's image in the same temple; let us have none of your help, if the condition of receiving it be that light should have fellowship with darkness, and Christ concord with Belial."

A Saviour for Children, and other Sermons for Little Folk. By JAMES DUNCKLEY. Partridge and Co. EXCELLENT sermons for the very little ones, pleasing and plain as such sermons ought to be; but why not give the book a descriptive title? Why find it a name in the heading of the first sermon? This method of entitling books is slovenly, and withal false and misleading. We thought the book would have described the relation of children to salvation, and anyone else would have thought the same if he attached any meaning to the title. However, we most heartily commend Mr. Dunckley's book, and wish it a very large sale.

Golden Lives: Biographies for the Day.

By H. A. PAGE. Strahan and Co. WELL written memoirs of Faraday, Denison, Brassey, William Burns, F. Perthes, George Cotton, Hugh Miller, John Keble, &c. A rather singular medley of names known and unknown, and stars of all magnitudes. We cannot imagine a young man reading these golden lives without deriving encouragement and receiving a stimulus. The life of Mr. Brassey is to us peculiarly interesting.

The Doctrines of Grace, and the Grace of the Doctrines: a Tract for the Times. By the Rev. ROBERT WALKER, Vicar of Wymeswold, Loughborough. Powlson and Sons, Manchester. A SOUND Calvinistic penny tract, by an excellent clergyman of a school which we should be glad to see multiplied a hundredfold. He states the distinguishing doctrines of sovereign grace very strongly, defends them vigorously, and applies them practically. We do not agree with his sweeping condemnation of moderate Calvinists, but in the Church of England a man's failings lean to virtue's side when he is so decided for the truth as to become rather too severe in judgment. Such truths as Mr. Walker preaches would soon purge the Anglican Establishment from the curse of Ritualism.

The Onward Reciter. Edited by WILLIAM DARRAH. Vol. I. Tweedie and Co.

TEMPERANCE pieces in prose and poetry, judiciously selected, and suitable for recitation at Band of Hope meetings.

The Natural Use of Drink. By JOHN Kempster and Co., 10,

MAYNARD.

Bride's Avenue.

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